Thanksgiving 2014

I couldn't decide whether to share the rest of our wedding photos today or my pictures from Thanksgiving. Clearly, the end of this titillating and very mysterious introduction is that Thanksgiving won out. Chef Adam Branz is my bestie Peek's husband. He is also my friend. He is also an incredible human. He is also going to be more famous that he already is one day. He is also INCREDIBLY talented. At 8 am, he showed up at my house with all of this...

And began doing this...

WTF. Is that a ham? I thought you guys had a 25 pound turkey? Double yeses to those questions. He used the fat from the ham to flavor things and do crazy nutty things to stuffing. 

Those are mushrooms for our vegan stuffing that was made with mushroom fat. Yeah, process that. 

And this the thing that I call a water counter top cooker thing. It cooked the turkey breasts in vacuum seal bags with vegan butter and God only knows what else until Adam yanked it out and seared it in cast irons and then ovened it and did things to it. (CLEARLY, if you came here looking for recipes you are SORELY disappointed). 

Now onto the pretties! Sam and I made placemats out of butcher paper, drew lines and a turkey, and asked everyone to write in what they were thankful for. I also used a dinner plate, a salad plate, red napkins from Target, gingham ribbon from Joann's, and Mikasa wine glasses. The table runner is also from Target. 

Sam brought over some plastic orange pumpkins and since they didn't match, LB and I spray painted them gold. The little tea light holders and the candle stands were also from Target. 

Yes, the chairs mismatch, but we needed 10 seats people! Don't the new chairs look SO good though!?

For all of these people! Hi Preston and Juno. 

Hi Maddie, LB and Alan. 

Howdy Angie!

Bowing before the greatness that is Adam Branz! 

Hey now Sammie!

Yo Peek, I am taking your picture!

OH YOU ARE! Let me look extra cute!

The. Food. Was. Ridic. The rolls were also made with a rosemary vegan butter. 

Oh, hahaha. I forgot about the two kinds of mash potatoes with black truffle potatoes in a mushroom reduction AS THE TOPPING ON THE MASHED POTATOES! What is this life?!?

The turkey and the ham. HOLY MOLEY YUM!It was an incredibly delicious day spent with super fun people. It took Maddie, LB and I three days to clean up, and my legs were sore from running up and downstairs to our other kitchen (<-- someone named Treana needs to get back into the gym).  When Adam and I debriefed, I think I got him to agree that for next year, people are in charge of sides. The dishes were nearly overwhelming until I remembered the sweet sweet goodness that we ate that day. Mmmmmm...

How did you all spend your Thanksgiving!?

A Mind Like an Elephant...

Or a gnat. Or whatever it is that forgets stuff all the time and everyone thinks it is OK. I was about to publish the Christmas pictures that I took of Avery, when I realized that I hadn't yet shared the family pictures I took of Avery + Alan & Sam. So, with a 3 month delay, and the whole delayed gratification is better thing, here are their pictures. :) She is SO. Dang. GROWN. UP! I look at this picture and can see her as a teenager... it scares the living daylights out of me.

And that headband!? I die. 

Chocolate face and everything. This kid likes sweets more than any other kid I know. 

Adorb family. 

Warning: I was clearly loving the coordinating bright pants color thing happening in these photos. So when you ask what happened to their heads I just say: "THE PANTS Y'ALL!"

I am obsessed with Avery's face in this one. Love that little peanut's mischievous personality for days. 

So there ya have it-- my second ever family shoot for friends. It is pretty cool that I can feel myself improving every day that I pick up the camera. I am so grateful that I finally just dived in and bought the camera and got to shooting in manual. Knowing I can adequately capture something is just plain awesome.